Girlfriends’ Weekend in Huntsville

And this year, the G5 girls decide to take advantage of the fact that Kerry has recently married a nice guy with a house in Huntsville, and move our annual GWIATC (Girls Weekend In at the Cottage) from the usual Apsley location.

Shirley, Susan, Kerry, Tom, Jennifer, Bette

After the obligatory stop at the Timmy’s just north of Orillia, Shirley and I arrive just as Kerry’s Nice Husband is dashing out the door with backpack and sleeping bag to the waiting pick-up truck, where his pal is rescuing him from all that estrogen. We offer to let him stay for mega shopping, talking, drinking and Mamma Mia screening, but he graciously declines.

Next we get updated on the latest Huntsville news, the local controversy about the sign in the butcher’s window, which, after a visit from the local Window Sign Police, has been changed to….

We take a walk into beautiful downtown Huntsville, cross the bridge and find the town is just filled with girlfriends. All the merchants are welcoming us with specials and giveaways and dressed up parking meters. Note also that Tom Thomson, posing with us above, has also been decked with a pink ribbon.

We manage a little preliminary shopping, then head home to Prosecco and Brunello (both memories of Girls’ Fortnight in Florence) and dinner.

I read the minutes from the 2008 G5 Summit in Apsley. Shirley makes one change (“I was never up at 8:30 am”) and the minutes are approved as amended.

Saturday morning, we rise bright and early (including Shirley) for breakfast of pancakes and fruit, then head back downtown to support the local economy.

Gone Quilting is an excellent quilt shop where all 5 of us get our free Fat Quarters (which end up with the 2 quilters in the group, Bette and me). We work our way through Algonquin Outfitters (thanks for the water bottles), Soapstones and The Bookcase, where I run into an old writing colleague of mine, signing her latest release.

Finally, we head out to Knitting Three Together, an enticing new wool shop, where everyone gets wool, several with the intention of commissioning Jennifer to make us things, such as these colourful slippers.

We come home to more wine and snacks and dinner preps, while Kerry puts up the Christmas lights outside. I make an apple pie, using the required flour, plus the Brunello dead soldier for the rolling pin.

After supper, the Knitting Ladies, Bette, Kerry and Jennifer, address themselves to their new projects….

…while I work on the quilt I’m making for Grandson #2.

And then it’s time for the ultimate Girls’ Weekend fun. Mamma Mia. And of course we sing along.

Finally, after a few rounds of Midnight Special videos (Ike and Tina, Denver and Cass, Guess Who, Roy Orbison, Fleetwood Mac…) we head off to bed.

Sunday, we get up and sit down to a substantial breakfast of lovely leftovers; we nibble and talk until it’s time to stop eating breakfast and start on lunch. Since this seems just a tad overindulgent, we break for a walk into town. And yes, we do a little more shopping.